Ship construction



J. LOEWENSTEIN SHIP CONSTRUCTION Fiied March 11, 1941 Jung 19, 1945.

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ENToR ATTORNEY.:

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 nq I'g; C lil V dan J. LOEWENSTEIN SHIP CONSTRUCTIONFiled March 11, 1941 June 19, 1945.

-' .INVENTQR- TTORNEYS .t

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 J LOEWENSTEIN SHIP CONSTRUCTION Flled March l1, 1941...En m@ m mm. mm.. uw., @s um. mm.. uk. WiliillllIlTli l Jun# 19, 1945.

June 19, 1945.

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J. LOEWENSTEIN SHIP CONSTRUCTION Filed March 11, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4@@CWML INVENToR.

- shown in Fig. 10;

4 Patented June 1,9, 1945 .-.flThisinvention relates to a steel shipconstruction and the object of the invention is to provide a'r shipconstructed by a continuous-floatingl assembly-method` reducing the timeand cost of building and producing ka vessel of strong,sea worthystructure. i A f In fthe accompanying drawings illustrating theinvention H f Fig-xiisva plan view of a'floating barge structure at thefirst erecting station, the barge being shown in side view in Figi 3; f

"*Figf 2 is aldagrammatic plan View of ythe body portion lof :the rstsection or Stag'eof the ship constructionshownin side vieWon the barge.,'=,Fig. 3`-1is a side elevationv ofa oating barge supporting the'rstsection or stage of the ship construction at ythe first erectingstation;

t Fig.- 4 is-Iayvertical sectional View on enlarged scale taken 'ontheline 4-4 of Fig. `3 and look'- f larged scale in elevation .taken on.they line 8-8.

larged scale in elevation taken on the line 9-9 ..FigalO isadiagrammatic elevational side view of the ship Vbody showing' the rst,second and part of the third stage assembly at the thirderectingstation; ,v f -Fg.-'11;isa planview ofztheship structure Fig. 12is 1a diagrammatic largedscale of the ship structure shown in'Figs.10..and11' taken on line |2I2 of Fig.'11;

:fFigt 13is a diagrammatic sectional view on enlarged scalein elevationof the ship structure shown` in` Figs. 10 `and 11` taken on the lineI3--I3 of, Fig. L-,1,1; and

l lgftl'sigs;A `1,4 and ,15 are planand elevational diagrams;respectively showing ay typical sequence of operations in the buildingof a vessel.

In the continuous `floating assembly method illustrated in the drawingsthe ship is constructed sectional view onl en-` n Ur1-Iren STATESra'rsN'r y' OFFICE `l l '2,378,566 l SHIP CONSTRUCTION A i*lJa'cobLoewensteim New York, N. Y.

n in)piica'fdtnfivralreli 11, i941', serial No. 382,703

golaim's'. (Crim- 65) sections and the lower portions of the hull shellare vprovided preferably in prefabricated units which are fastenedtogether on a framework supported on a floating barge or carr float. Atthe end of this assembly the car float is preferably submerged andremoved, the lowermost portion of the hull assembled in the first stagehaving been made watertight so as to oat in position to receive theassembled units of the next stage. After completion of the next stagepreferably from end to end the sections and units of the third or.uppermost stage are assembled with the superstructure to complete thevessel hull and' supported parts. l

In Fig. -1 the floatingbarge or car float or tank arrangement 25 isformed in a series of sections 26 with transverse partitions 21 betweenthem, and the deck 28 of the barge carries a series of transverse beamsV30 blocked to the deck 28 by the members 3| (preferably of steel andfastened to the deck or tank) and adapted to support the first stage ofthe vessel construction as illustrated in Figs 3, 4 and 5. The oatreferredto as a floating barge is positioned alongside of an erectionderrick or derricks (not shown) mounted on a deck, pier, wall or shoredesignated Sta-` tion I in Figs. -1 to 5 inclusive in position todeliver the keel and hull units throughout the length ofthe float, thisderrick apparatus being of suf- 1 iicient capacity to handle theheaviest keel sections.

f The iioat 25 is of 'suicient length to support lthe entire length ofthe rst stage of the hull structure and is provided with watertightdecks and watertight access manholes. Pumps or siphons (not shown) f areprovided on the dock or pier oryshore alongside with flexible piping topump water either into or out of the iioat or tank arrangement 25 andpermit the tank to be submerged or floated with a controllable buoyancysufficient to support the first stage of the ship during assembly. f

The transverse beam structure 30 forms a false-work or cribbing on thefloat on which is erected thelowermost section or stage of the hull.Steel lfor this bottom part is prefabricated in units at separatefabricating plants and these lar-gerprefabricated units-are set in placeon the false-work or cribbing and on'the previously assembled parts of'the iirst stage ofthe hull by the derrick apparatus on the dock, pier,wall or ingthreestages.. During 'the first stage the keel 65 shore.V Thederrick at the rst erecting station will be moved along the float or thefloat will be moved backA andV forth under the derrick. The shaft andpropeller (not shown) are'set in place tangular hollow shells ofvariable length between the bulkheads 33. The edge sections 36 to 42""on each side are specially built up of welded plate material in hollowshell-like units fitting the adjacent units and fastened to these unitsand together to form the outer bottom portion of the hull. The extremeend sections have attached to them the prow 43 and the rear rudder-44'.

The completed lowermost h-ull section is then floated by filling thehold of the car float, barge or tank 25'sufiicient1y to submerge thevessel or hull section to a point where the hull will float. As thevessel section floats it is towed clear vand the-car float or barge isrefloated by pumping or siphoning water out of the hole or by pumpingwater out of the tank, the float being then read-y` for' the next hull.

A light duty derrick is provided on the dock,. pier, wa-ll or shoredesignated Station II alongside of which the completed lowermost sectionof the hull is oated as completed in the stageV one just described. Thesteel fabricationunits for the second deck are obtained fromprefabricationl plants preferably other than those working on theheavier units of stage one, and these prefrabricating sections areset inplace byimoving the hull back and forth under the derrick, or if moredesirable by moving the derrick along'the hull. This hull of the secondstage is shown in place in Figs; 7 to 9 and comprises the prow portion5I)I and sternfl and the successive hull sections 52 with the-bulkheads`53 and the centra-l partition-- structure 54, the upper surface beingvformed withthe deck 5.5'. formedk of prefabricated units 56 comprising.a sheet portion to which on the under side are welded `angle strips.

The side shells and bulkheads are preferably` for watertightness andthen painted, and thefsec-. ond stageof the hull formation is completeas.

shown in Figs. 9 to 12 inclusive.;

For the third operation, preferably at` another dock, pien-,wall orsho-re` designated Station IIL.

a light duty derrick is providedzaflon'gside of which the section ofthehull completed asV to the rst.

and second stages will float; f 'The balance ofthe. hull shell isthenerectedxas illustrated in Figs.. 10

to 13inclusive. All steel units areprefabricatedl for this section, theIhull orl the derrick being moved back and forth. to distributethesections intheir properlocationsion the hull.,l This topf sectionlcorrespondingto -thethird stage' of as-` sembly comprisesy thebow'portion 1U `and thev stern,l portion .1 I, and theintermediatesections 1:2

The deck portions,k are preferably will have continuations 13 of thebulkheads 53 of the previous assembly. Preferably the vertical sideshells and bulkheads 14 are formed of plate stock with angle bars weldedto the inside thereof, and similarly the deck units'15 of the top deck16 are formed of plates with channels welded to one surface thereof. Thesteel sections are fitted up, welded, tested for watertightness and thenpainted. This top section corresponding to the third stage` of theassembly is then ready for the erection in place of alllsu'perstructu're (not shown) and other nishing work. Thissuperstructure will, of course, comprise the deck houses and quartersand control bridge structure to' be erected in place on the deck 15.

All three stages of work can and preferably are going on simultaneouslyon successive vessels as .diagrammed in Figs. 14 and l5, the rst or keelsection being floated to a second dock, pier, wall or shore and whencompleted then is floated to a. third locationffor the nal stage ofoperations.

This method-divides the constructiony of each vessel into three'stagesto accommodate the type of fabrication involved and the equipmentnecessary for erection. Stage one shown in Figs. l to 5 and at Station-I in Figs. 14 and. lconsists of heavy massive fabricated pieces allo-f-J--which` would be handled by shopsl and lequipment `accustomed toVsimilar heavy work. Stage; two' shown in Figs. 6 to 9 and at Station IIin Figs. 14 and 15 comprises relatively light sections andL will behandled preferably by other shops and equip- .ment adapted to thismuchlighter work. Stage three shown in Figs. 10 to 13 and at Station`lII of Figs. 14 and v15 comprises light sections and willbe handled byother-shops and-equipment intended for this lighter type of work. .Speedis attained by separately using light `equipment; and light fabrication`facilities "for light work and.v heavy for heavy work and innotattempting .to mix the light and heavy work.v

InFigs. 14 and 115- a barge carrying a lowermostl yportion of the hullis shown at A and 'a bargel ready to receive the construction of a.l'owerm'ost portionv-atxB, these-being on oppositesides ofv Station I.At Station 1I.. the freshly' completed lowermost portion is shown atfCandi-the hullswith'. the second portion completed is. shownat D and atStation III the hull with the two ,lower'iportionsv completed is shownat-E and withl the completedthreeportions at F.

This continuous floating assembly methndfldoes` not require' Shipyards,shipw'ays-,i:drydoeksgr or other lspecial costly facilities; nor does.itl llreciire shipyard fabrication facilities. Any available `floatingmea-ns: orw'fabrication facilities may be used. As: many assemblies.as'desired can` beun.- dertaken at either 'one or several' points and;cal-- culation indicates that each single assembly setup with` one shiftwill accomplish th'econstruction of about one hull in two weeks sci-thataddedassembly set-ups-wil-l result. in the` completion of hulls. at averyrapidi rate dueto the simultaneous and continuous: use of all thefacilities; increasing, the 1numberfof shifts will of course furtherreduce the time of construction...

In avoiding expenditure of large sums for `construction of Shipyards,drydocks, etci, andlirrsaving. in. steelf` 'and time.v and :in`utilizing available equipment; 'thisxmethodi off 'constru'ctionnotf-onlyshortens time of-compl'etio'ni ofthe unitsbut alsof 1. A. method 01:.bundingsmps comprising -trrei steps of erecting the lowermost portion ofa ships lsteps-oi erecting the lowerrnost portion of a ship's hull on afloating barge positioned alongside a f hull on a floating bargepositioned alongside a first erecting station on the shore of a body ofWater, said erecting station being provided with the necessary equipmentfor construction of said hull portion, said hullportion having suicientbuoyancy to oat, sinking said barge and thereby launching said lowermosthull portion, floating first erecting zone on the shoreof a body ofwater, said erectingzone being provided With the necessary equipment forconstruction of said hull portion, said hull portion having suflicientbuoyancy to iioat, sinking said -barge and thereby launching saidlowermost hull portion, floating said hull portion alongside a seconderecting staa tion on the shore of the body of water, said second vstation being provided with the necessary equipment for adding an upperportion of the Y, hull to said lowermost hull portion, erecting on saidlowerrnost hull portion while floating alongl side said second stationthe upper hull por-tion to thereby complete said upper portion of thehull,k reiioating said barge to make it available for'erection ofanother lowermost h ull portionv thereon and repeating the operations insequence whereby` o substantially continuously employ-the erectingstations and equipment.

2. Amethod of building ships comprising the said hull portion alongsidea second erecting-zone on the shorev ofthe body of Water, said secondzone being provided with the necessary equipv'ment for adding an upperportion of the hull to said lowermost hull portion, erecting on saidlow. ermost hull portion While floating alongside said second zone theupper hull portion to thereby complete said upperportion of the hull,refloating said barge to make it, available for erection Vof anotherlowermost hull portion thereon and repeating the operations in sequencewhereby to substantially continuously employ the erecting zones andequipment. n

f l JACOB LOWENSTEIN.

